Battle of Bedegraine
The Battle of Bedegraine was a big battle between King Arthur and an alliance of rebel kings who obected to his early reign. Prelude After the Battle of Carlion where he battled 6 rebel kings, Arthur went to London and Merlin told him that the rebels will soon assault him and his lands and should call a council of barons. The barons in turn asked Merlin's counsel, who warned them that the rebels gained 5 more allies, and that Arthur should seek an alliance with Kings Ban of Benwick and Bors of Gaul. After sending Ulfius and Brastias as messengers to France, the two Kings came to England just before All Hallowmass with 300 knights and had a great feast. (1,x) After the tournament, Ban, Bors, Gwenbaus, Ulfius and Merlin held council. As it was decided, Merlin went to Benwick with a ring of King Ban as a token, and in all haste he prepared 15,000 men of arms on horse and foot. With him he brought 10,000 men on horseback, the most part men of arms, and landed at Dover, and he hid them in valley in the forest of Bedegraine. As Arthur had prepared, 20,000 passed by on horseback over Trent. (1,xi) The 3 Kings arrived to the castle of Bedegraine where a northern host had been reared for the despite and rebuke the rebels. (1,xii) In the meantime, the 11 rebels made an oath against Arthur and how many men of arms they'd bring to the alliance. Once they were ready they laid a siege unto the castle of Bedegraine, and after sending forth their fore-riders they drew toward Arthur. (1,xii) Arthur too sent fore-riders to skim the country, and as they met with the fore-riders of the north, they were told whence the host came. Ban and Bors counselled to burn and destroy all the country where they would ride. (1,xiii) Participants Arthur started with a host of 20,000 from London plus 10,000 horsemen from Benwick waiting in Bedegraine. The rebels gathered 50,000 on horseback and 10,000 afoot. Of the 60,000 that started the battle, 15,000 remained alive. The battle By counsel of Merlin, when they learned which way the rebels would ride and lodge that night, the 3 kings attacked them at midnight while they were in their pavilions, alerting their watch. (1,xiii) The pavilions fell on their heads and despite the rebels's prowess, they lost 10,000 men. As it dawned, Merlin advised so that Ban and Bors with their 10,000 men hide in a wood, and upon daylight Arthur should dress the battle before them so that when they see all the host of 20,000, they will be more hardy. So by morning the host of the north was well comforted. Ulfius and Brastias were delivered 3,000 men of arms, and they set on them fiercely in the passage. Striking back The rebels were ashamed that such a small company did such deeds and set on them fiercely. Ulfius's horse was slain, and Eustace with Clariance were grievous on him. Brastias smote Eustace with a spear, and Clariance stroke back, and both fell to the earth. Sir Kay came with 6 fellows. The rebels stroke back and brandegoris, Idres and Agwisance threw down Griflet and Lucas. The medley waxed hard on both. Kay rode on Nentres to horse again Griflet, and then Lot, but in turn was smitten by the King with the Hundred Knights, and horsed again Lot. Griflet took a spear and smote down Pinel to horse again Kay. Lot smote Melot and horsed nentres. The King of the Hundred Knights smote Gwiniart and horsed Idres. Lot hit Clariance and horsed Eustance. With that, the rebels gathered and decided to take revenge. Ector came with an eager countenance, and found Ulfius and Brastias in grave need. Arthur fought marvellously and all admired him. As a lion, he ran unto Cradelment and horsed Ulfius. The King with the Hundred Knights ran unto Ector and horsed Cradelment. Arthur was wroth seeing him on the horse of his foster father and smote him on the helm. Kay smote Morganore and horsed his father. Ector smote Lardans and horsed Brastias who was in danger and defoiled. Griflet tried to rescue Lucas who was threatened by 14 knights; Brastias smote 3 of them and Griflet (who was already horsed by Brastias) smote one more and horsed Lucas again. (1,xiv) Agwisance had slain Moris de la Roche and Lucas stroke him with a short spear. He saw Bloias and Gwinas on foot, he slew two bachelors and horsed them again. Arthur was happy that his knights were horsed again and the battle waxed hard. (1,xv) As Ban and Bors made themselves ready, Lucas, Gwinas, Briant and Bellias held against Lot, Nentres, Brandegoris, Idres, Uriens and Agwisance with the help of Kay and Griflet who did great deeds with Arthur. There was no ending in battle and Arthur fared wood and slew 20 knights and wounded Lot, forcing him to retreat. Ulfius, Brastias and Ector encountered against Eustace, Cradelment, Clariance, Carados and the King with the Hundred Knights and held them. Lot made great dole for his losses and suggested a plan to the others: He, the King with the Hundred Knights, Agwisance, Idres and Eustace went with 15,000 men will go apart, while the others held with 12,000 against Arthur, until the others came fiercely to support. Assault of Ban and Bors But then Ban and Bors brake the ambushment with Lionses and Phariance at the vanguard. They met with Idres and his men, but Agwisance put them in point of death and Eustace came with his men and the 2 knights fought to survive. Seeing this Bors he came on fast with his godson Bleoberis as his standard bearer. Lot was surprised and worried seeing him, not knowing how he came to England. Carados decided to encounter with him, first on a soft pace, then charged. Bors killed a knight with a spear then did marvellous things with the sword, smitting Carados down. The King with the Hundred Knights and rescued him mightily. (1,xv) Ban also entered the field like a lion, and Lot was worried even more, and so many good knights took their end. through his great force they joined both northern battles. Lot, the King of the Hundred Knights and Morganore gathered the people together and with great prowess they held the battle all that day, like hard. The King of the Hundred Knights thrust unto Ban to stop the great damage he was doing, and smote him, enraging him. In the midst of the slaughter Ban pursued him and killed his horse, but in turn the King with his sword boached Ban's horse in turn and they dueled, where Morganore fell. Ban was fighting as a lion among dead men and horses until he caught a hit. Arthur, also bloody, looked at him. He smote a knight and soon he offered his horse to Ban. Final phase Then began a new sore and hard battle and slaughter. The 3 Kings made their knights a little to withdraw them, and the rebels never turned back. The rebels withdrew to a small wood over a river to regroup. They were put on a heap all together and held together from all sides, enraging Arthur. As night approached, Lot once more suggested a plan, noting that they lose 10 horsemen to save one foot-man so they should let their foot-men flee; and instead the horsemen be together and support each other without fleeing. They all swore that anyone who would flee would be slain. They amended their harness, righted their shields and took new spears. (1,xvi) Meanwhile the 3 Kings praised their knights for their bravery and chivalry. 40 noble knights said that they would break their formation and rode on with spears, spurring their horses at full speed. Same did the rebels and the two parties clashed. The 3 Kings came into the thick of the press and slew and after a great slaughter they were driven back over a little river. Then came Merlin and said that there was enough slaughter: 15,000 remain alive of the 60,000 that started the battle, and pressing on would make more enemies. He revealed that more than 40,000 Saracens landed on the lands of the rebels and they will be occupied for 3 years. (1,xvii) Aftermath Arthur rewarded his knights with gold and all loot be given to Ban and Bors to reward their knights so that more strangers wil be eager to ally with Arthur. Merlin went to see his master Bleise in Northumberland and recorded the battle. (1,xvii) The rebels retreated to Sorhaute where they regrouped. Learning that during the battle their lands were ravaged by Saracens, they consented together to keep all the marches of Cornwall, Wales and the North. King Rience and Nero also fell to them, while they furnished and garnished them of good men of arms, victual, and all manner of war habiliment to avenge themselves from the battle. (1,XVIII) Category:Events